Egg-turning device.



- witnesses P. H. HERNDON.

- EGG TURNING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1911.

1,018, 191 Patented Feb. 20; 1912.

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I I I l 7 Z 4 5' Q 3n u'zntoz PAUL H. HERNDON, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

EGG-TURNING nnvrcn.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

original application filed January 23, 1911, Serial No. 604,230. Divided and this application filed April 3,

Serial No. 618,553.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that 1, PAUL H. HERNDON,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Tampa, in the county of Hillsboro and State of Florida, "have 1nvented certain new and useful Iinprovefor use in incubators.

It has for its objects among others to provide a simple and cheap, yet eflicient and reliable egg turning device whereby the eggs are supported upon a plurality of points and as the tray is pulled out, the supporting rollers are brought into contact with cams or the like whereby the rollers and, consequently, the eggs, are turned.

Other objects and advantages of the 1nvention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will .be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in Which Figure 1 is -a top plan View showing the egg supporting tray inits innermost position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the egg tray and the means whereby the rollers and eggs are turned, the section being as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, with portions broken away, showing one of the egg supporting rollers in position, the section being as on the line 3-43 of Fig. .1, looking in the direction of the arrow. 1

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the'diifercnt views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of the egg chamber of an incubator. No more of the incubator is shown as the same is deemed unnecesasry for a proper understanding of the present invention and, furthermore, because the egg supporting and urning device forming the subjectmatter of the present invention is capable of use in any and all forms of incubators, irrespective of the construction thereof aside from the parts forming the basis of this application.

2 is the egg tray embodying a frame in and, useful improvements in egg turning devices which are journaled upon suitable pintles 3, a pluralityof rollers 41. Each of these rollers is provided with notches 5 at intervals, as seen best in Fig. 3, these notches prov ded with a plurality of bearing points for the eggs, each egg ('3, as seen best in Figs. 1 and 2, having bearings upon two points of each two adjacent rollers. The pintles of the rollers in the present instance are mounted in the strips 7 secured to the side bars of the frame of the tray and offset therefrom, whereby the rollers are each mounted for independent movement and are out of contact with the sides of the frame of the tray. The tray is designed tobe moved in and out of the egg chamber in any suitable manner, and as it is pulled outward,

the end portions of the rollers engage upon an elevated or cam surface 8 at each side or the egg chamber, as seen clearly in Figs.

1 and 2, and by reason such engagement,

the rollers are given a half revolution, each set of eggs'bcing in turn given a half revolution as the end portions of the rollers upon which they rest come in contact with the said cam members 8. As the tray is pushed back into the ch an'iber, the front end is elevated, so as to' bring the rollers out of contact with the cam portions, so as not to turn the eggs the tray is pushed back into the chamber, When the tray'is nextpulled out, the eggs are given another half revolution.

It is to he understood that the cam surfaces 8 are disposed one atthe front end of the chamber, as seen'in Fig. 1, so that the rollers of the tray are normally out. of engagement with such camsurfaces and each roller is only 'given a partial revolution a its end portions move over the said ,can. surfaces. It will thus be seen that the eggs are automatically turned by the withdrawal The extentof the cam surface is substantially the same as one-half the circumference of the end portion of the roller which moves upon said cam surface, so that the roller is given but a half revolution, during the time it moves over the cam surface. Vhcn the roller has passed the cam surface,

it is no longer revolving. Consequently, thev amount of turning of the egg is determined by the length of the cam surface'relatively to the circumference of .the end portion of the roller.

While it is preferable that the eggs be turned as the tray is moved outward, itis elevated so as to bring the rollers out of eontaot w th the can: surtaces as the tray is moved out 01"111.

Modifications in details may he resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing an of its advantages.

Nhat is claimed as new is:--

1. In an incubator, an egg tray provided with rollers and stationary elevated means cooperating with said rollers for raising the tray and giving the eggs a partial revolution as the. tray is moved in or out.

2. in an incubator, an tray provided with rollers and stationary cam means so operating with said rollers tor-engagement by said rollers for giving the a partial revolution and raising the tray as the tray is moved in or out.

in an incubator, an egg tray provided with a plurality of rollers notched to form a niultiplirily of hearing points for the eggs, and stationary means for contact with said roiaiei rollers to raise the latter as the tray is moved, to the eggs a partial revolution. an incubator, an egg tray provided "ality of rollers notched to form tiplieity of heziiring points for the eggs, and stationary cam means for eontaot with said rollers to raise the latter as the tray is moved, to {give the eggs a partial revolution.

53. In an incubator, an tray provided with a plurality of rollers notched to form a multiplicity of bearing points for the eggs, and cam means or direct Contact with said rollers to raise the latter as the tray is moved, to give the eggs :1, partial revolution.

6. In an incubator, an egg tray provided with a plurality of rollers notched and having end portions, and stationary cam means cooperating with said end portions, the ex tent of operative surface of the cams being substantially equal to one-half the circumference of the end portions of the rollers.

Signed by me at Tampa Fla. this 31st day of March 1911.

PAUL H. HERNDO'N.

wi th a pin l/Vitnesses w 7 N. ll. JACKSON, S V. Titan 

